Utilization of green lacewing, Mallada basalts (Walker) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) for augmentative biological control of thrips in asparagus in Thailand

摘要

The augmentative biological control of thrips in asparagus fields were conducted in three locations at Kamphaeng Saen district in Nakorn Fathom, Thailand. This insect pest is one of the important key pests of asparagus which causes serious damage to asparagus yields either in quantity or quality. Lacewings were mass reared in the laboratory and then separately liberated in asparagus fields as egg releasing and neonate larvae releasing, respectively. Counting of thrips present in release plots and conventional plots taken care by farmers, showed that thrips populations in treated plots were significantly decreased compared to control plots. At the same time, there was difference between utilization of eggs and neonate larvae of lacewing to control thrips since the percentage of control ranged from 65 to 75 percent. This indicated that green lacewing can be further recognized as biological agent to control thrips for asparagus production in Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) under which insecticide was unacceptable during the production period.